About Pierre Marly

[Old Luxe, Antiques & Collectible]

Pierre Marly arrived in the world of the optics around the years 45-50 at a time when the glasses were another starved of affection accessory close to the prosthesis: some forms (round dance, oval), two materials (the acetate and the doubled now), a colour (scale). Pierre Marly is going to change all this and gives a new dimension, creates new completely original forms, introduces the colour into his models.

Pierre Marly is the first person to introduce fashion into the world of eye ware. In 1951 Pierre Marly opened his first eye ware shop in Paris in the area known as the Golden Triangle. Until 1951 eye ware was seen as a purely utilitarian accessory therefore very little thought went into the design of the frames. Your typical frame was round or oval and your typical material was some form of acetate plastic. However, in 1951 Pierre Marly began to change how we were to “view” eye ware forever.

In 1952 Pierre designed glasses for Audrey Hepburn and created such a stir in the fashion world that re-defined eye ware forever. After Audrey Pierre set his “sights” on Sophia Loren. And, eye ware now became a fashion statement therefore a plain round or oval frame no longer would do.

Pierre began to introduce eccentric shapes, colors and sizes. These eccentricities began to attract models, movie stars and international politicians. And, by the 1960’s Pierre Marly became the "avant-garde" optician.

In the 1970’s, the fashion world began to realize that they too could begin to apply their art to eye ware. So, we begin to see famous designer like Dior, Saint Laurent and Courreges release their own eye ware designs. However, Pierre Marly is the only one who remains faithful to the avant-garde designs he introduced in the 50’s and 60’s. One could always count on Marly’s strong creative sometimes-provocative collection. Marley’s unusual forms, audacious hew, his use of natural materials such as wood, horn of buffalo, leather and sophisticated designs continued to attract the up-market crowd.